a last kiss ; then, rising calm and in-
flexible :
"I know nothing, messieurs," said she; "do as you please."
But the queen must have required more than the usual
amount of fortitude contained in the heart of woman, and
above all, of a mother. She fell back fainting upon a
chair, while they carried away the child, who, with fast-
flowing tours, held out his arms, but uttered not a single
word or cry.
The door closed behind the municipals who carried
away the child, and the three women remained alone.
There was for u moment the deep silence of despair, in-
terrupted only by occasional sobs.
" The queen first broke silence.
" My daughter," said she, " that letter ?"
" I burned it, as you desired me, ma mere."
"Without reading it ?"
'* Without reading it."
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. tf
" Adieu, then, to the last ray of hope divine hope ! "
murmured Mme. Elizabeth.
" You are right, my sister, you are right ; it is almost beyond endurance." Then, turning toward her daughter :
" But you, at least, saw the handwriting, Marie ? "
" Yes, ma mere, for a moment."
The queen rose, went to the door to make sure she was
not observed, then, drawing a pin from her hair, ap-
proached the wall, and from a chink drew out a small
paper folded like a letter, and showing it to Mme. Royale :
" Collect your thoughts before you reply, my child,"
said she ; " was the writing the same as this ? "
" Yes, yes, ma mere," cried the princess ; " I recognize it."
" God be praised, then ! " cried the queen, falling with fervor on her knees. " If he could write since tins morning, he is safe. Thanks, mon Dieu, thanks ! So noble
a friend deserves Thy miraclous preservation ! "
" Of whom do you speak, ma mere? " demanded Mme.
Royale. " Who is this friend ? Tell me his name, that
I may recommend him to God in my prayers."
" You are right, my child ; never forget it. This
name, for it is the name of a gentleman replete with
honor and courage, one not devoted to us through ambi-
tion, for he has only revealed himself since our misfor-
tunes. He has never seen the Queen of France, or rather,
the Queen of France has never seen him, and he vows
his life to her defense. Perhaps he will be recompensed
as all virtue is recompensed, by a dreadful death. But
if he dies Oh ! I shall still think of him in heaven he
is called
The queen looked uneasily around, then lowering her
voice :
" He is called the Chevalier de Maisoii Rouge. Pray
for him."
48 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE,
CHAPTER VII.
THE OATH OF THE GAMESTER.
THE attempted abduction, so contestable was it, be-
cause it had had no one to commence the execution of it,
had excited the anger of some and the interest of others.
That which likewise corroborated this event almost to a certainty, was that the Committee for General Security
learned that three weeks or a month before a number of
emigrants had entered France from different parts of the
frontier. It was evident these people who thus risked
their lives did not do so without design, and this design
was, in all probability, to cooperate in carrying off the
royal family.
Already, upon the proposition of the Conventionalist
Asselim, the terrible decree had been promulgated which
condemned to death all emigrants convicted of having
returned to France, all Frenchmen convicted of having
intended to emigrate, particularly all convicted of hav-
ing assisted in their flight, or in their return, either a
female or male emigrant ; and, lastly, all citizens con-
victed of having afforded shelter to an emigrant. With
this dreadful law commenced the " Reign of Terror."
All that was wanting was the law for suspected persons.
The Chevalier de Maison Rouge was an enemy far too
active and audacious for his return to Paris, and his ap-
parition in the Temple, not to call forth the gravest meas-
ures. More severe inspections than had previously taken
place were made in a number of suspected houses,
flexible :
"I know nothing, messieurs," said she; "do as you please."
But the queen must have required more than the usual
amount of fortitude contained in the heart of woman, and
above all, of a mother. She fell back fainting upon a
chair, while they carried away the child, who, with fast-
flowing tours, held out his arms, but uttered not a single
word or cry.
The door closed behind the municipals who carried
away the child, and the three women remained alone.
There was for u moment the deep silence of despair, in-
terrupted only by occasional sobs.
" The queen first broke silence.
" My daughter," said she, " that letter ?"
" I burned it, as you desired me, ma mere."
"Without reading it ?"
'* Without reading it."
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. tf
" Adieu, then, to the last ray of hope divine hope ! "
murmured Mme. Elizabeth.
" You are right, my sister, you are right ; it is almost beyond endurance." Then, turning toward her daughter :
" But you, at least, saw the handwriting, Marie ? "
" Yes, ma mere, for a moment."
The queen rose, went to the door to make sure she was
not observed, then, drawing a pin from her hair, ap-
proached the wall, and from a chink drew out a small
paper folded like a letter, and showing it to Mme. Royale :
" Collect your thoughts before you reply, my child,"
said she ; " was the writing the same as this ? "
" Yes, yes, ma mere," cried the princess ; " I recognize it."
" God be praised, then ! " cried the queen, falling with fervor on her knees. " If he could write since tins morning, he is safe. Thanks, mon Dieu, thanks ! So noble
a friend deserves Thy miraclous preservation ! "
" Of whom do you speak, ma mere? " demanded Mme.
Royale. " Who is this friend ? Tell me his name, that
I may recommend him to God in my prayers."
" You are right, my child ; never forget it. This
name, for it is the name of a gentleman replete with
honor and courage, one not devoted to us through ambi-
tion, for he has only revealed himself since our misfor-
tunes. He has never seen the Queen of France, or rather,
the Queen of France has never seen him, and he vows
his life to her defense. Perhaps he will be recompensed
as all virtue is recompensed, by a dreadful death. But
if he dies Oh ! I shall still think of him in heaven he
is called
The queen looked uneasily around, then lowering her
voice :
" He is called the Chevalier de Maisoii Rouge. Pray
for him."
48 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE,
CHAPTER VII.
THE OATH OF THE GAMESTER.
THE attempted abduction, so contestable was it, be-
cause it had had no one to commence the execution of it,
had excited the anger of some and the interest of others.
That which likewise corroborated this event almost to a certainty, was that the Committee for General Security
learned that three weeks or a month before a number of
emigrants had entered France from different parts of the
frontier. It was evident these people who thus risked
their lives did not do so without design, and this design
was, in all probability, to cooperate in carrying off the
royal family.
Already, upon the proposition of the Conventionalist
Asselim, the terrible decree had been promulgated which
condemned to death all emigrants convicted of having
returned to France, all Frenchmen convicted of having
intended to emigrate, particularly all convicted of hav-
ing assisted in their flight, or in their return, either a
female or male emigrant ; and, lastly, all citizens con-
victed of having afforded shelter to an emigrant. With
this dreadful law commenced the " Reign of Terror."
All that was wanting was the law for suspected persons.
The Chevalier de Maison Rouge was an enemy far too
active and audacious for his return to Paris, and his ap-
parition in the Temple, not to call forth the gravest meas-
ures. More severe inspections than had previously taken
place were made in a number of suspected houses,
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